The Night Before
by Bria
Summary: Rose Tyler tossed and turned in the bed in one of the guest rooms at her parents' mansion. She was exhausted from the long day of rehearsal, and desperately wanted to sleep, but it wouldn't come to her. No surprise, as the day she had been anticipating for months was tomorrow. Her wedding day.


Disclaimer: Doctor Who isn't mine. If it was things would be quite different. The BBC owns all and I bow before them.

Written for timepetalsprompt's drabble prompt, anticipation, although this is more than a drabble. Oops.

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Rose Tyler tossed and turned in the bed in one of the guest rooms at her parents' mansion. She was exhausted from the long day of rehearsal, and desperately wanted to sleep, but it wouldn't come to her. No surprise, as the day she had been anticipating for months was tomorrow.

Her wedding day. She'd already promised the Doctor her forever years ago, but now she could repeat the vow in front of their friends and family, and he could actually give her the same in return. Even now, after months in Pete's World, it still amazed her that they were at this point. Back in the Prime universe, when she was travelling time and space with him, it would've seemed unbelievable, yet here they were, on the cusp of their big day.

Rose's heart ached, would _always_ ache, for the Time Lord that had left them behind, but she'd always love him and be forever grateful for the chance he had given her and his metacrisis. This life was literally a dream come true, and while she already bonded with her Doctor on the night of their engagement, she also wanted to be his wife. If only she could move past her reveries to actual sleep!

She sat up and reached for the glass of water at her bedside and took a long swallow. As she put the glass back down, she heard a noise from the balcony. Climbing out of bed, she pulled on her slippers and padded over to the open door to investigate.

Silhouetted in the moonlight, was the familiar shape of her fiancé as he climbed over the railing from the trellis and onto the balcony. The Doctor looked up at her after he found his footing in the low light and grinned.

"Doctor," she gasped in surprise. "What are you doing?"

"Couldn't sleep," he answered with a shrug. From the state of his hair, she believed it. It wasn't standing its normal spiky disarray, but instead was lying limp and flat against his head as if he'd been tossing around in bed as well, since they had said goodnight outside her bedroom door.

"C'mon on in then," she said with a wave. "But we'll have to be quiet. If mum catches us, she'll give us a tongue lashing for sure."

It had been Jackie's insistence that it was traditional for the bride and groom to be apart the night before that led to the separate bedrooms they had retired to for the evening. Pointing out that they were already bonded in the ways of his people had not been effective, and because they were staying with Jackie and Pete, they had finally conceded.

"Hmph." The Doctor gave a little sound of displeasure at the back of his throat. "Jackie Tyler might have eyes like an eagle and ears like a bat, but I am clever and stealthy." He smirked and gestured to the window.

Rose laughed and embraced him. "Very impressive," she told him, tucking her tongue between her teeth.

The Doctor beamed and leaned down to press a kiss to her lips. "There's also no force in the universe that will keep me from falling asleep next to my fiancée for the last time."

"Sounds wonderful," Rose agreed with a yawn.

Together, the two of them climbed into bed. The Doctor laid back against a pillow, and Rose cuddled up to his side, with her head pillowed against his chest. She slipped her hand under his vest, and rested it against his heart.

"Hard to believe by this time tomorrow we'll be on way to Paris for our honeymoon," she whispered into the dark.

"You were worth the wait," the Doctor replied, and kissed the crown of her head.

Rose lifted her head at that, and caught his gaze in the moonlight. "So were you."

She gave him one last kiss goodnight, and closing her eyes, finally fell asleep curled up next to the man she loved.

The next morning, Rose woke up alone when her alarm sounded loudly. As she flipped it off, she noticed a piece of paper folded next to it.

 _See you soon, my beautiful bride_ , it read in the Doctor's curly script.

Rose beamed down at it. The anticipation from the night (and many months) before suddenly vanished, and was replaced by excitement. She was getting married today!


End file.
